Lets face the music
by Jen the Genie
Summary: Silly, fluffly, unashamedly sentimental and the result of a challenge that I just couldn't resist. - so sue me already!


let's face the music pts 1&2  
Author Jen the Genie  
contact: jenna.caine@ntlworld.com  
Rating . PG ( a bit of mild cursing)  
Category. MSR (it's silly and fluffy).  
Archive: I would be honoured, just let me know where and keep my details attatched.  
Disclaimer. All characters herein belong to Chris Carter and 1013 prods,I just borrow them for my own warped fantasies. No profit made, just a little fun.  
Acknowledgments: To Wu and D and Caz : who put up with my obsession, tolerate my madness and feed me my medication.  
Notes: I'm not usually into this hearts and flowers romantic lark but I felt the need to write something soppy - *Justification is the last resort of denial*G*  
  
Let's face the music and......pt1  
By Jen the Genie  
  
Tuesday- 5:55 p.m.  
  
"That's it Mulder. I'm done!" Scully snapped the lid of her briefcase shut, grabbed her purse and reached for her overcoat.  
  
"Huh! Oh yeah." Mulder was engrossed in the screen of his computer.  
  
"Goodnight then.."  
  
"I'll call you." he didn't look up.  
  
"Ok, bye." Scully was out the door in a flash.  
  
When Mulder did finally surface, he noticed that she wasn't at her desk. He paused, a little puzzled. He looked at the clock. It wasn't even 6.30 yet? This was the fourth Tuesday in a row that Scully had dashed off before their usual 7pm finish. OK, so things had been a little quiet of late, but there was always the paperwork. His curiosity was building.  
He knew that occasionally she went to aerobics, But c'mon. he thought  
four weeks in a row? He sat back , his brow furrowing. He wracked his memory for any little sign she had given. Nothing!  
Maybe she's got a hot date? just the thought of it made his blood chill.  
No! surely she would have said something...wouldn't she? She had been on dates before, but it had been quite some time now. Anyway she always told him. Mulder had never figured that one out. Was she seeking his consent to a life outside their work? Was she dropping hints?  
He shook his head. Hang on a minute ? The tiny search engine in his brain dragged back what it had found. When he had gone out for their coffee earlier, as he had walked back into the office he could swear that she had been humming. He closed his eyes and allowed the picture to form. Yep! she was humming...too low for him to pinpoint the tune. Not only was she humming, she was moving as well. She was shifting and swaying, the skirt of her charcoal suit stretched tight across her behind as she leant across the desk. A lascivious smile crept across his face as he replayed the vision over and over.  
STOP IT! His curiousity was well and truly aroused. I think Watson, that the game is afoot!  
  
  
The following Tuesday 5:55pm  
  
"I'm outta here!" The briefcase and the purse were scooped up in one quick fluid movement.  
  
"What? Oh yeah! " Mulder desperately tried to pretend that he was engrossed in his reading.  
  
"Goodnight." She was almost out of the door.  
  
"Hey Scully?"  
  
"I've got to go Mulder." her voice was insistent as she paused "What?"  
  
"You want to get a take-out later?" he tried to sound casual. "I could rent a movie?"  
  
"Oh, sorry Mulder. I've got...I've got so much laundry to do."  
  
And there she was. Gone!  
  
Mulder pushed himself back from the desk. His fingers came together in a loose pyramid shape under his nose. His teeth tugged absently at his upper lip as he strained to hear her walk down the corridor . OK, 1..2..3..4..let her get right off this floor! He stood up and grabbed his jacket and car keys 5..6..7..8.. just in case the lift was late.. He reached for the handle of the door   
9..10...right Scully coming ready or not!  
  
As he slid into the driving seat, Mulder chuckled. He'd had one hell of a time persuading Frohike to let him borrow the bug and tracer without having to explain what he was doing. He clicked the small black box on the passenger seat into 'on' mode. For a moment he paused guiltily. The whole relationship they had was based on trust. This was sneaky. Underhand, invasive even. Since when did he have exclusive rights to her life! But she had lied to him.   
  
Laundry! he snorted. His memory fast tracked to about 3pm that afternoon. She thought he was in the mens room, but he had been outside the door watching her through the crack. She was humming again. Her feet did a curious little shuffle as she walked to the filing cabinet. As he had strolled nonchalantly back into the office she had stopped abruptly, an almost embarrassed look on her face.   
The black box next to him bleeped insistently. Looking over he noted that she was heading up town. Damn it! He flipped over the ignition and slammed the car into reverse With a squeal of tyres on tarmac, he took off after her.  
  
It was harder to keep up than he had imagined. The traffic was horrendous. Roads flooded with commuters trying to get back to the 'burb's.  
  
"Asshole!!!" Mulder cursed, flipping his finger at the car that had just cut him up. He'd forgotten what it was like trying to follow someone without her next to him watching the road. That was the third time he'd nearly run up someone's tail-pipe in his efforts to read the tracer. The longer he followed her, the more anxious he was becoming. His over-active imagination had already conjured at least a hundred possible scenarios. None of which he had found very appealing.  
  
The bleeping had slowed to a steady 'plink!' that indicated she had stopped. He slowed the car. He didn't want to bump into her in his haste to satisfy his now burning curiosity. How the hell would I explain that one? he mused. The road was quiet as he scanned the passing buildings. Well, at least it's not a residential area! he noted. That wiped at least half of his anxieties away. He breathed a sigh of relief. Probably not a date then..  
He spotted a couple of tacky, greasy bistros', Nah! he shook his head Not her style! Then he spotted it. Her pale blue trenchcoat. She was trotting up the steps of a building. He wanted to duck out of sight but caught himself, realising that would result in a fender-crunch that even she wouldn't be able to ignore. He quickly made a note of the building and pulled around the block.  
  
By the time Mulder emerged from the shadows Scully was long gone. He still felt intensely guilty but he had come this far. You could go home, he reminded himself. He shook his head. No, no he couldn't. With a quick scan up and down, he turned up his collar furtively and strode into the night.  
  
"The Belvedere Rooms?" the name sounded plush, like an expensive hotel. Mulder cocked his head on one side and gazed upward. Grey and white brick, and lots of small oblong windows. Like a school? Now he was really puzzled. Hesitantly he mounted the steps. The unassuming, double grey doors gave nothing away. He reached out and pulled. The door jarred, rattling the wired glass panel by his hand.  
"Shit!" he muttered "Probably security locked." He went to kick it in frustration but stopped. He took the steps down two at a time. His eyes scanned quickly around. There had to be a back door? side entrance? fire escape? C'mon Mulder, you can do better than this...you're an FBI agent for christ's sake! He glanced at his watch. Somehow he knew that he was running out of time.  
  
"Son of a ..." The fire-escape ladder was just out of his reach. He jumped again. This time his fingers caught the leading edge and he was able to haul it down just low enough to scramble onto the bottom rungs. He was sweating from his exertions and the adrenaline rush he was experiencing from all this 'Cloak and Dagger' business. He was starting to regret his impulsiveness.  
  
Slowly he climbed upward. The two lower floors had had their windows bricked up. He looked skyward. On the fifth floor there was light. The three windows nearest the escape blazed brightly. The nearer he got to them the more nervous he became. What the Hell are you doing? Only one more flight.  
Music?...he could hear music. Just the beat really. A sensual pounding beat. He didn't recall the last few steps to the platform. His eyes were riveted to the blazing glass. The music was getting louder. His heart began to pound. Leaning over the rail he peered in...  
  
When Mulder's screaming lungs finally forced him to exhale, it came out in a long low whistle. Not more than fifty feet away from where he was standing was Scully, but a not a Scully he could ever recall seeing! Her hair was scraped back into an untidy bun arrangement. Little wisps that had broken free clung to her damp neck. She had one arm outstretched, it's palm resting on the shoulder of a tall lithe Latin type who appeared at least old enough to be her father. Mulder flinched slightly as he noticed that her other hand was resting on the guy's hip, her eyes locked onto his face. She wasn't wearing that crisp navy suit that she had left in either. He allowed his eyes to trail over her. A white cropped T-shirt over a leotard. He felt his skin prickle. A white, gossamer-like short skirt that flowed with her swaying hips, bare legs and small dainty heeled shoes. He allowed himself to groan, then to laugh. The whole vision of her was so different, so unexpected. Mulder found himself leering like a college grad outside the window of the girls' dorm.   
  
The music stopped abruptly pulling Mulder from his fantasy. He stepped quickly back into the shadows, breathing hard. When he realised that he hadn't been discovered he peered in again.   
"A dance class! " he heard himself whisper. He stifled a laugh, a laugh of relief and pleasured amusement. He could see it now. The parquet floor, the long wall of mirrors with the bar in front. Other dancers began to drift into view, but Mulder didn't really register them. He couldn't tear his eyes from Scully. Her hands came up to her neck, pushing away those few clinging strands. He closed his eyes, and swallowed hard.   
  
The music started again, pulling him back. He watched amazed as she reached out for an invisible partner and began to rock her hips to the beat. He caught sight of her face as she watched her own movements in the mirror. The way she sucked in her bottom lip in total concentration as she stepped and swayed. Up and back, around and up again. She threw back her head, her eyes closed as the dance took her. Mulder was totally gone. He was lost, fascinated, beguiled. So spell- bound in fact that he was totally unaware that on that fire-escape, out in the cold night air, he, Fox Mulder, was dancing too!  
  
lets face the music and...pt2  
  
Friday: two weeks later.   
6:30p.m  
  
Scully fiddled with the tuner of her car stereo. The fingers of her other hand tapped impatiently on the edge of the steering wheel. Her butt ached from all the sitting she had done that day. Her eyes hurt from reading and her head ached from tensing herself as she fought to control the growling in her stomach. Like a small curse his name slid through her teeth. "Mulder!"  
  
To say that she was royally pissed at him was an understatement. She had been looking forward to a large Club Sandwich, Chicken, Rye, Salad, Mayo... Her mouth began to water as the vision formed in her mind. And a Chocolate Eclair, the lanky one had promised her a Chocolate Eclair.Her stomach growled loud enough to wake the dead.  
  
"Thanks a lot Jackass!" she breathed becoming more irate with each passing moment. "I'll get lunch Scully!" she mimicked him sarcastically "My treat!"  
  
He had flashed her one of his best grins as he had waltzed out of the office.  
Nearly an hour later she was still waiting. It was yet a another half an hour before her phone had rung. He wasn't coming back. He'd been distracted by something. Nothing to worry about, just something he had forgotten to do.  
  
"Sonofabitch!" she slapped her hand against the wheel. Her stomach growled again. He'd done it again, the sonofabitch had dumped her again!  
She had just kicked her apartment door shut angrily when she felt the phone go off in her hip pocket. It had to be him. It always was.  
  
"Hey Scully!." he sounded cheerful. That just made her piss-off index rise another two notches.  
  
"I'm sorry caller but we are unable to connect you. Please try again later!"she hit the off button with a satisfied snort. The phone rang again.   
"Go to hell!" she yelled at it. It kept ringing. She took a couple of deep breaths. She didn't want him to have the satisfaction of her mood. Finally she reached for it.  
  
"Hey Scully, I'm sorry.."  
  
"SORRY! Sorry! Three hours it took me to sort that file out. Three hours to find that the damn thing hadn't been cross referenced and you're sorry?"  
  
"I know but..."  
  
"Nearly two hours I waited for my lunch to appear! " No way was she going to let him off the hook now. "Nearly two hours before you decided to let me know that you hadn't fallen under the cross-town bus."  
  
"Scully, I know bu..."  
  
"Don't you 'but' me mister." clenching the phone between her ear and shoulder she reached down, tore off her shoes and hurled them toward her bedroom door. She could feel Mulder flinch as they thudded down, knowing full well that she was aiming for him.  
  
"For all I knew you had been abducted by some of those little green men that you're so fond of." Her eyes were blazing.  
  
"Grey..." he started to correct her.  
  
"Mulder!!!" her voice incredulous that he would even attempt to do that when she was in full flow. "Mulder, right now I couldn't give a rats-ass wether they were sky-blue pink with yellow spots on." She peeled off her jacket and flung it after her shoes.  
  
"Oh!" his voice sounded contrite  
  
"Oh?. Is that it? Oh?" her trousers dropped to the floor and she stamped on them. She had to vent some of this somehow.  
  
"I said I'm sorry." he whined  
  
"You're an inconsiderate sonofabitch when you put you're mind to it." Scully marched into the bathroom  
  
"I am?"  
  
She switched the phone to her other ear. Reaching into the bath she began to run the water. "No actually I take that back." she snarled "I think that it's a natural gift!"  
  
"That's not fair! " he sounded mildly hurt.  
  
"Fair! " she paused incredulous "FAIR?!!" This guy just didn't know when to shut up. "Inconsiderate. Smug. Self-centred." she was on a roll now.  
"Unreliable..."  
  
"Hey Scully? " he sounded amused by her venomous outpouring.  
"When you've finished cataloguing my good points do you wanna go get something to eat?"  
  
"What?" the question stopped her in her tracks. There she was giving him a verbal ass-kicking and he was talking about food. She looked at the phone, dumbfounded.   
  
"Scully?" his voice was apologetic. "Did you hear me?"  
  
She slid into the foaming water and as the glory of it smothered her she smiled. "Yes Mulder, I heard you." She took the phone from her ear and let it drop to the floor. "Hey Mulder! Did you hear that? " she called to the phone on the floor.   
  
"Yeah, I heard that, What was it?" she could just about make out his voice.  
  
"That Agent Mulder was the sound of your sorry ass being kicked to the kerb!" She slid under the water with a satisfied smile.  
  
Scully was drying her hair when she heard the knock on her door. Mulder! It had to be. She wrapped her robe tightly around herself and padded to the door. I suppose you've come to apologise? Standing on tip toe, she peered through the spy hole. She was expecting him to be there, that goofy, hang dog expression on his face. No-one was there. Slipping on the security chain she pulled the door open a fraction. Still no-one. She was just going to close the door when she spied it. A large brown paper bag. She eyed it suspiciously. Carefully she opened the door and peered up and down the hall.   
  
"Mulder?" No answer. "Mulder, I know you're there!"  
  
Still nothing. Maybe I was a little tough on him, she thought as she grabbed the bag and took it to the kitchen. Grabbing her glass of wine from the counter she turned back to the bag. What was he playing at? She opened the top of the bag and peered inside. There was a box at the top and another wrapped parcel underneath. Reaching in she pulled the box out first and placed it to one side. A long warm laugh rolled off her lips as she felt the lower package. "Oh Mulder!" she tore the bag open with a grin. One Chicken on Rye with Salad and Mayo. She squealed with delight. The box contained all the trimmings, Dill pickle, crispy onion rings, the works.  
  
It took Scully all of twenty minutes to devour her supper. As she sucked the last of the Mayo off her fingers, a large unladylike belch erupted from within. She giggled. Good job he didn't see that! she wiped her fingers on her robe. Might have shattered a few illusions! She sighed.  
Yes he was pain in the ass, but when he did things like this, he was a loveable pain in the ass. Resting her elbows on the table and took up her glass to drain it.   
  
"Oh well , that was another scintillating evening." with a sleepy yawn she padded off to her room.  
  
As she walked into the room she was struck by how chilly it was. Funny! she shivered I don't remember leaving the window open this wide? With a shrug she pulled it shut and yawned again.  
  
As she turned toward the bed her yawn became a gasp. Her eyes widened as she tensed. On the foot of her bed was a large box. Oh my God! The warm rush from the wine vanished quicker than snow in hot sun. Quickly she checked her closet, under the bed, anywhere anyone could be hiding. Once she satisfied herself that she was totally alone she perched on the bed. The box teased her with it's pretty, shiny paper. She knew it must be for her, and she knew somewhere deep in her heart where it had come from. At once she was filled with a whole bank of conflicting emotions.   
  
After what seemed like an eternity she reached out . Her slim fingers slid across the lid, tugging at the beautiful ribbon that secured it. As the silk slid through her fingers, she felt herself tremble. The lid came away so easily.  
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her fingers were buried in layers of softly rustling tissue. She opened first one eye, then the other. There was a card. "Wear me." it said simply. Her heart skipped a beat.  
The words were so simple yet so demanding. Her heart skipped another beat. Please don't let it be leather or Rubber! She launched herself between the layers. Her hands were shaking so much she could barely find the contents. Finally her fingers closed around something soft and sensual.  
"Oh Jesus, Mary, mother of God."  
  
The dress was so gorgeous it took her breath away. She sat just staring at it laid out on the bed. Her heart was pounding in her chest so hard that it hurt. Emerald chiffon. Layers of Emerald Chiffon. So light it was like a butterfly wing. It shone in the half light of her bedroom, iridescent like a moon beam. It had delicate silver ribbon straps. The front was dappled with a trail of tiny, glittering, crystal stars. 'wear me!' the dress was almost pleading. But she dare not, not yet. She sat for an age, just looking and wondering and touching.  
  
Slowly she slipped off her robe and gathered the gossamer like fabric to her skin. It felt cool, dangerous even. It slipped over her head like the touch of an Angel's wing. The fit was absolutely perfect. Scully felt giddy.  
Without giving it a second thought she gave an excited twirl. The dress flowed like water. A shiver ran through her body.  
  
A soft tap on the bedroom door broke her spell. She spun on her heels. "Mulder!" for a second she was rooted to the spot.  
He was leaning on the door frame, his arms folded casually across his chest. She brought her eyes up to his and almost gasped as the heat in them enveloped her. He slowly looked her up and down. His normally passive expression melted into to one of complete joy.   
Scully felt her face flush, she was blushing. Her mouth opened and closed again. She wanted to speak, to tell him, to ask him, to thank him. His eyes sparkled micheviously as he held out his hand.  
  
"Hey Scully, dance with me?"  
  
Her eyes widened as she reached for his hand." Bbbut..."  
  
Mulder pulled her close and and put his fingers to her lips. Reaching down he pulled her left hand onto his shoulder. His eyes locked onto hers. "So do you want to dance with me?"  
  
"But you don't... I mean..." her voice was hoarse. she wanted to fall into him. Struggling to regain her composure, she pulled back a little. "Mulder, we have no music."  
  
"You think? a tenderly mocking smile crossed his lips. From god knows where, he pulled the remote to her Stereo and hit the play button. The sensual beat washed over her. It was the music from her dance class! Her head fell back as she felt his hip pushed seductively against her. Gracefully he twirled her away then back. Each step she took, he matched. Up, around and back again. Her hands entwined around his body as she slid up close and rocked against him. When the music stopped she was wrapped in his arms. Her breathing erratic, her heart pounding After a moment he reached down and pulled her chin up so he could gaze into her eyes.  
  
"How did I do?" he looked a little guilty.  
  
"It was you ? Wasn't it?" she was unsure of what she was asking.  
He didn't answer, he just cocked his head to one side and studied her intently.  
  
"We've never danced before..." she began to tremble "Have we?"  
  
Mulder pulled her tightly to him and buried his face in her hair. "Oh yes." She could feel him smiling. The realisation hit her like a lightning bolt. Her last dance class! She thought it had been her overactive imagination that had made her fantasy so real. Mulder chuckled as she tensed. He knew he had been found out. Scully looked at him wide eyed.   
"I was on the fire escape." He looked at her under his lashes coyly. "Can you forgive me?"  
  
She threw back her head and laughed. "Jeez Mulder! After that, I could forgive you murder." Her eyes teased him. "I'm seriously impressed with your sense of rythm."   
  
Mulder grinned "I aim to please."  
  
"Oh you do, do you?"  
  
He smoothed the dress over her curves, his face becoming still, his eyes thoughtful. "beautiful," he murmured "You look so beautiful."   
  
Scully felt herself blush again. Gently he cupped her face in his hands and brought his lips to hers. For a moment she hesitated. As his kiss became more insistant, emotion won over logic and she responded hungrily. Her lips parted and she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his neck, her fingers twisting into his hair. Her senses started to reel, she was in danger of stepping into oblivion. With a gasp she pulled away. "Mulder?  
  
"Mmmm....what?" He opened his eyes.  
  
"Mulder, what happens now?"   
  
"Well, you won't ever go dancing without me again." He smiled at her, a half serious, half mocking.   
  
"This could get complicated." she warned.  
  
"This is already complicated." He looked at his feet and shuffled uncomfortably.  
  
"Dance with me." She whispered gently taking his hand. Her eyes locked into his as he pulled her close. The music started again and they danced.  
  
The cold light of morning pulled Scully from her slumber. She stretched lazily then snuggled back into the quilt with a sigh. She had had the most wonderful dream. She allowed herself to savour the remnants of it before pushing herself up onto one elbow to check the clock. As she sat up she caught site of 'that' dress draped over the chair next to the bed. oh! I hadn't been a dream. She lay back down with a contented sigh. That dress is one hell of an apology...we really must fight more often. A gentle tap on her apartment door brought her from her bed. Outside her door on the mat, was a box.  
  
Scully took it to her kitchen and laid it on the table. what the! As she lifted the lid her breath caught in her throat. She felt sweet tears prickle in her eyes as she looked down. Oh Mulder! You silly, soft, lovable... There in the box, was the biggest Chocolate Eclair she had ever seen in her life. Written on the glossy icing, in Mulder's best handwriting were three little words...  
  
'I Love You.'  
  
**************************************  
Okay! All applications to have me shot start here. For an application form contact jenna.caine@ntlworld.com.  
  
  



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